The best laid plans ....

The theme at Top Tip Tuesday this fortnight is 'Material Girl' so I thought I'd make a baggie and stamp it with an image of a girl. (OK she's actually a fairy, but hopefully that counts!).

So I rummaged in my fabric scrap box and found some lovely ivory linen and some pink patterned fabric, just large enough to make a small tote.

I'll let you into a little secret; I'm a teensy bit impatient when it comes to measuring.  But it does help that I seem to have quite a good eye for sizing.  So never mind the ruler.  I folded both pieces of fabric in half and cut out a rectangle roughly the size I wanted the bag (allowing a smidgeon more for seam allowances).

I stitched the sides of each piece together, and then thought I'd be clever and make the bottom flat, so I sewed across the corners to make a base on both pieces.

So far, so good!

I then made two handles from strips of the leftover pink I'd used for the lining, and it was ready to assemble.

Past experience tells me that the assembly is where I usually get things wrong, so I thought I'd be extra careful and assemble the pieces the right way round, pin them, then turn them inside out to sew them all together on the wrong side.

Clever girl, good thinking!   ;0)

In went the pins to hold the lining in place, turned it inside out, popped in the handles and stitched around the top leaving a small gap to turn it inside out.

I admit that I was feeling rather smug as I turned it the right way out to admire it.  What could go wrong?

I'm absolutely delighted to confirm that I'd managed to get the lining inserted the right way, with all the messy seams hidden away on the inside.

Unfortunately, this is the point when I also discover that the handles are likewise hidden away on the inside.

Literally tucked inside the space between the lining and the outer fabric.

And to make it worse, I'd triple stitched the handles in place so they were attached nice and strongly.

D'oh!

So, when I'd finished unpicking 3 rows of stitching and restitching the handles on the right way, I stitched all around the top to seal the gap that I'd used to turn it, which also made the top seam lie flat.  I had originally intended to decorate it a bit more, but when I'd finished, I actually liked it as it was.

In theory the bag is reversible, but that would put my girlie on the inside, and she'd be hidden away.

So here's my baggie.  Not bad for a few leftover fabric scraps and a bit of trial and error (ok, more error than trial).

And because I flattened the base, it does stand up by itself, so it was quite easy to photograph.  :0)

I've not decided what I'm going to use it for yet, but rest assured, when I need it, I'll have mislaid it!

The image is lightly coloured with Derwent Coloursoft pencils as they don't run like inks do on the linen.

And finally here's a close up of the inside. 

Card Recipe:

• A Little Bit of Gossip from Sugar Nellie
• Derwent Coloursoft Pencils
• Ivory Linen scrap
• Pink floral fabric scrap
• Trial and error (and a seam un-picker)

I've been inspired by:

• Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
• Fairytale Stamper - Summer
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Summer (summer flowers and being in the garden!)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx